David Dein

David Dein
Dein at the 2016 Soccerex Asian Forum
Born	(1943-09-07) 7 September 1943 (age 73)
Occupation	Former vice-chairman of Arsenal and the FA

David Barry Dein (born 7 September 1943) is the former vice-chairman of Arsenal Football Club and former vice-chairman of the Football Association; Dein currently spends much of his free time touring schools and prisons as a public speaker. He was also the President of the G-14 group of European football clubs between October 2006 and May 2007 and has sat on various committees within FIFA and UEFA including UEFA's Club Competition Committee and Executive Committee. In August 2007 he sold his shares in Arsenal F.C. to London-based, Russian-owned business company Red and White Holdings. He was also the International President of England's failed 2018 World Cup bid.

Dein was vice-chairman of Arsenal between 1983 and 2007. He was appointed when he bought a 16.6% share of the club for £292,000 (he later sold a significant proportion to co-director Danny Fiszman) At the time of Dein's purchase of the shares in Arsenal in 1983, Peter Hill Wood, Arsenal's chairman, described Dein as "crazy" to invest his money in the club, stating that "to all intents and purposes it's dead money". Dein built up his shares until he owned 42% of the club in 1991. During his time at the club, he was responsible for football matters taking an active role in the transfer of players and contract negotiations where he was able to use his extensive network of football contacts. Dein was behind the appointment of the then little known Arsène Wenger to the manager's job in 1996; under Wenger, Arsenal have won the Premier League three times and the FA Cup six times, and Dein strongly backed him and his transfer wishes throughout.

Dein was also influential in the transformation of Highbury into an all-seater stadium. Following the Hillsborough disaster a report by Lord Justice Taylor called on all Premier League clubs to introduce all-seater stadiums. Dein was behind the introduction of a bond scheme to finance the redevelopment of Highbury's North Bank and Clock End terraces into all-seater stands.